Set-up

SimpleSYN will have to be set up once before SimpleSYN can be used for synchronization. SimpleSYN contains a configuration-wizard for an eased set-up with a step by step guide through the needed settings. Alternatively, manual configuration of SimpleSYN is possible. More information about the settings can be found here.

SimpleSYN will be executed either as SimpleSYN-server or as SimpleSYN-client. One installation set up as SimpleSYN-server and at least a second installation set up as SimpleSYN-client are needed for the synchronization to work.

The SimpleSYN-server is the central contact point and forwards the elements to be synchronized to all SimpleSYN-clients. Synchronization of e.g. a desktop computer with a notebook will require the desktop computer being setup as SimpleSYN-server and the notebook as SimpleSYN-client.

Configuration-wizard

The wizard will be started automatically the first time SimpleSYN is started or after an upgrade from version 2.0 to 2.1. The wizard enables easy set-up of SimpleSYN in a few steps.

The wizard should be run completely on all computers that are supposed to be synchronized for an easy set-up of SimpleSYN. Start with the set-up of your SimpleSYN-server. In this way the SimpleSYN-clients will be able to find the SimpleSYN-server automatically.

Image 5: Welcome page of the configuration-wizard

Click on “Next” to start the set-up of SimpleSYN.

Profile selection

The page “Profile selection” will only be shown if several Outlook®-profiles are available.

First, the Outlook®-profile to be synchronized by SimpleSYN has to be selected.

Image 6: select Outlook®-profile

SimpleSYN can be synchronized independently for every Outlook®-profile. The SimpleSYN settings apply to the currently active Outlook®-profile.

Following settings can be set for profile selection:

Use default profile: SimpleSYN uses the Outlook® default profile. In the case of no standard profile being available, a dialog will be shown for the selection of the profile.

Use following profile: SimpleSYN uses the selected profile in the drop-down list.

User selection: If neither “Use default profile” nor “Use following profile” is selected, the profile can be selected manually at each start of SimpleSYN. This is especially helpful if swapping between several profiles for synchronization is needed.

Click on “Next” to confirm profile selection.

Selection of SimpleSYN task

SimpleSYN can either be configured as SimpleSYN-server or as SimpleSYN-client. One Simple-server can be synchronized with several SimpleSYN-clients.

One computer has to be configured as SimpleSYN-server. The SimpleSYN-server is the central contact point and forwards the elements to be synchronized to all SimpleSYN-clients.

The SimpleSYN-server should be set up first. This eases the configuration of the SimpleSYN-clients as they can automatically identify the SimpleSYN-server in the default settings.

SimpleSYN will try to find any possibly existing SimpleSYN-server computer automatically. Should no SimpleSYN-server be found, the option “SimpleSYN-server” will be automatically preselected. Otherwise SimpleSYN will be preconfigured as SimpleSYN-client of the first found SimpleSYN-server.

If the current computer is part of a domain, SimpleSYN will not search for possibly existing SimpleSYN-servers. More information about SimpleSYN in a domain environment can be found here.

Configuration of the SimpleSYN-server

Should a SimpleSYN-server already be set up, please continue with the set up of SimpleSYN-clients.

Select the radio button “This is the SimpleSYN server” to configure the computer as SimpleSYN-server.

Image 7: Set-up of SimpleSYN-server

SimpleSYN uses the current computer name as name for the SimpleSYN-server. Click on “Change server name” to name the SimpleSYN-server differently. A short comment can be added to the SimpleSYN-server here, too.

Image 8: Change SimpleSYN-server name

The comment is limited to 39 characters.

The SimpleSYN-server is being protected through a password against non-authorised access. Click on “Set server password” to input a password.

Image 9: Choose SimpleSYN-server password

After a click on “Next”, the set-up will be done. Close the wizard through a click on “Finish”.

In the case that no password was entered, a reminder to enter a password will appear when clicking on “Next”.

Image 10: Set-up of SimpleSYN-server complete

Use of peer-to-peer technology

In default settings SimpleSYN uses the Microsoft® Peer Name Resolution Protocol (PNRP) to find the SimpleSYN-server in the network. If the Peer Name Resolution Protocol is not available it is possible to disable the use of PNRP here.

If “Use of peer-to-peer technology” is not activated it is impossible to enter a server name and password for the SimpleSYN-server. The SimpleSYN-server will be referenced to using the computer name of the current computer, DNS or IP-address instead.

If the current computer is a member of a domain, Peer Name Resolution Protocol will not be used in SimpleSYN’s default settings. More information about SimpleSYN in a domain environment can be found here.

Synchronizing via the Internet

Internet synchronization is only available in the SimpleSYN business version. More information about synchronizing using the Internet can be found here.

Select the checkbox “Synchronize via the Internet” if synchronization with this SimpleSYN-server via the Internet is planned. Activation of “Synchronise via the Internet” results in the server being accessible via the Internet.

SimpleSYN requires advanced firewall settings for synchronization via the Internet. SimpleSYN might request firewall adjustments. More information about the needed firewall settings can be found here.

To enable SimpleSYN-clients from outside of the local network to access the SimpleSYN-server, click “Publish server for Internet synchronization”. More information about Internet synchronization and publishing the SimpleSYN-server can be found here.

With activation of Internet synchronization, the SimpleSYN-server will be made accessible from the Internet. Choose a strong and secure password to prevent any unauthorized access to the SimpleSYN-server. More information about the security of SimpleSYN can be found here.

Internet synchronization is only available if the Peer Name Resolution Protocol can be used and the checkbox “Use peer-to-peer technology” was activated.

Set-up of SimpleSYN-client(s)

Before setting up the SimpleSYN-client(s) the SimpleSYN-server set-up should be finished.

Repeat the following steps of setting up the SimpleSYN-clients on all client computers.

After finishing the set-up of the SimpleSYN-server, switch to the computer to be set up as SimpleSYN-client. If the set up of the SimpleSYN-server was successful, it will be found automatically by the configuration wizard of the client computer and the SimpleSYN client settings will be preselected.

Image 11: configure SimpleSYN-client

Should SimpleSYN not be able to find a SimpleSYN-server in the configuration wizard, make sure the SimpleSYN-server is running and successfully set-up.

If the usage of the Peer Name Resolution Protocol was deactivated on the SimpleSYN-server, the configuration wizard will not find the SimpleSYN-server automatically. In this case select the point “This is a SimpleSYN-client” manually.

Fill in the fields “Server name” and “Server password” with the name and password of the SimpleSYN-server chosen during the configuration of the SimpleSYN-server.

If the SimpleSYN-server is available via the local network, it can be selected in the drop-down list. The drop-down list lists all SimpleSYN-server available in the local network. To update the list of available SimpleSYN-servers, put the input focus on the drop-down list and hit the key “F5”.

Click “Next” to proceed with the set-up of your SimpleSYN-client. SimpleSYN then tries to establish a connection with the SimpleSYN-server.

Image 12: Connection to the server being tested

Should SimpleSYN be unable to establish a connection to the SimpleSYN-server, check the settings. In the case that the SimpleSYN-server is not started it is possible to continue without an established connection.

If specific users have been set up on the SimpleSYN-server, SimpleSYN will prompt the input of a username and password. More information about users and security can be found here.

Use of peer-to-peer technology

If “Use peer-to-peer technology” is not activated, the computer name or IP-address will be used instead of the Peer Name Resolution Protocol to establish a connection with the SimpleSYN-server. Enter the computer name of the SimpleSYN-server instead of the server name and password. The drop-down list lists all computers found in the local network.

The setting “Use peer-to-peer technology” has to be the same on the SimpleSYN-server and all SimpleSYN-clients. Otherwise SimpleSYN will be unable to establish a connection.

The server computer name is the NetBIOS-name or DNS-name of the server computer. The server computer name will be shown during the set-up of the SimpleSYN-server at the end of the configuration wizard.

If “Use peer-to-peer technology” is deactivated and the use of the computer name to establish the connection is wished for, make sure that name resolution is permitted in the network. Otherwise SimpleSYN will be unable to establish the connection. More information about the needed firewall settings can be found here.

If the computer is a member of a domain, Peer Name Resolution Protocol will not be used in SimpleSYN’s default settings. More information about SimpleSYN in a domain environment can be found here.

Synchronizing via the Internet

Internet synchronization is only available in the SimpleSYN business version. More information about synchronizing via the Internet can be found here.

Select the checkbox “Synchronize via the Internet” if a connection to a SimpleSYN-server via the Internet exists or will be used for synchronization in the future. If the SimpleSYN-server is available during set-up in the local network, it can also be selected in the drop-down list.

To establish a connection with the SimpleSYN-server via the Internet either an invitation file or a unique server-ID is needed. Click on “Connect to a server via the Internet”. More information about Internet synchronization and the connection to a SimpleSYN-server via the Internet can be found here.

Internet synchronization is only available if the Peer Name Resolution Protocol can be used and the checkbox “Use peer-to-peer technology” is activated.

Select folders

Once a connection to the SimpleSYN-server is successfully established, selection of the Outlook® folders for automatic synchronization will be possible in the following window. Select the checkbox in front of the corresponding folders to define the direction of the synchronization. An arrow in both directions means that the folder will be synchronized by both server and client. A second click changes the direction of synchronization. An arrow pointing right means synchronization of the folder from the client towards the server only; an arrow pointing left means synchronization of the folder from the server to the client only.

Image 13: select folder

Detailed information about the synchronization settings can be found in the section synchronization settings here.

A click on “Next” will finish the set-up of the SimpleSYN-client. Close the configuration wizard with a click on “Finish”.

Rerun the configuration wizard

After having been run the configuration wizard will not be displayed again at the start of SimpleSYN. To access the configuration wizard again, activate “Run configuration wizard at next start” in the menu and restart SimpleSYN.

To this end open SimpleSYN, hit the key “Alt” to open the main menu, select the menu “Help” and activate the menu item“Run configuration wizard at next start”. Close SimpleSYN and restart SimpleSYN.